Renegade
by Renn19861
Summary: Zelda has just been crowned Queen of Hyrule, although she's accepted her fate she can't help but feel trapped. Her confinement only gets worse after a plot against her life is discovered on the day of her coronation. Feeling trapped Zelda turns to an old friend and soon finds herself entangled in a heated love triangle. Zelda's reputation and life are now at stake.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Obscured in Shadow**

She gazed out her bedroom window, the night sky was clear and the stars glittered brighter on this first day of the month when the moon was invisible. The young princess, soon to be queen, gently rubs her arms bringing some feeling back to her otherwise numb skin. The fire had gone out long ago but she did not care to rekindle it. She didn't mind the cold or the lack of light.

She secretly enjoyed the darkness, unlike most people who feared complete and total obscurity; Zelda reveled in it, there was nothing to fear after all. She found that she could think clearly when in the dark, she felt relaxed and she felt that for at least once in a day she could hide herself from the prying eyes of the kingdom and her court.

At the young age of 22, Zelda would cease to be the princess of Hyrule, in a few hours in the presence of the esteemed nobility, and various other guests she did not know, Zelda would be crowned Queen of Hyrule. She takes a deep breath and as she releases the air, her breath fogs up her balcony window.

She feels she is ready to uphold her responsibility to her people, after all this is what she was schooled to do.

Under the strict guidance of her father and Lady Impa, Zelda was ready to fulfill her royal duty. She takes another deep breath and releases it quicker than before. She can see her icy breath hit the balcony window. She doesn't realize it but she has let the tears run down her porcelain like skin.

As a little girl Zelda was coached and told regularly that she would one day be queen, and as queen her sole duty was to the people of Hyrule and to no one else, not even to herself. Still she dreamt of leaving Hyrule one day to see the world. It was her lifelong dream to travel and be free of her responsibilities, to be a normal girl and not the heir to the throne. She'd often skip her lessons with Impa to go hide in the library, she'd read and search for interesting lands she may one day want to see. Her books were her only real escape from her royal prison. Her father often criticized her for having such ideas and more than once reprimanded her for it.

She sometimes cried herself to sleep thinking she would never be free.

That is until her fifteenth birthday. That day was the happiest of her life. Her father called her into his study that morning and negotiated a deal. If she promised to stop skipping her lessons, promised to work hard in her studies and did everything she was told to do then she would be free to take a year off to go see the world. Zelda agreed and for the next six years she dedicated herself to her studies.

The day finally arrived on the eve of her 21st birthday, Zelda was done with her lessons and she was ready to take on the world; she'd grown up to be a beautiful and wise princess. She takes another deep breath but fails to release it as the tears begin to roll uncontrollably down her face. She leans against the cold window and slides down to the stone floor where she brings her knees to her chest and begins to sob.

That night, on the eve before she was to depart to Termina the king suffered a stroke, he was pronounced dead two days later.

Zelda was immediately handed the throne; no questions asked. Her dreams of seeing the world were over in an instant. In the months after her father's death Zelda adjusted to her new life, she took on her role and accepted it with grace. During that first year with Hyrule under her rule the kingdom flourished, and after many months of debate the members of her council finally agreed to make Zelda their queen despite Hyrule's law that no woman shall rule without a king. There was still much opposition to this outcome but it was decided and after weeks of planning the day had finally arrived.

As dawn approached the princess continued to sob in the frigidness of the night because she knew that after tomorrow her life would no longer be hers.

* * *

 **I wasn't supposed to write this, I was going to wait until I finished Oath to start working on this idea that has been in my head for a while. However I found some free time at work recently and I just started to write in my little book. So here it is, I've actually already written about three chapters but I am only uploading chapter one as a test run. This is my firs time writing a story in third person and I am really having a hard time with it, so just let me know what you guys think. I will be uploading chapter 2 soon as soon as I type it and edit it. Also for those waiting on the next chapter for Oath, it is partially written I'm just trying to add a little more to it to make it more of a bang. Anyways thanks for reading.**

 **Renn19861**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Coronation Day**

 **Zelda-**

The sound of scurrying footsteps and voices wake her from her slumber. She rubs her eyes sleepily and listens closely to the voices in her bedroom. She recognizes Impa's voice immediately.

"Is everything ready" she says her voice strong and demanding.

"Yes malady" one of the maids answers timidly.

"Good, now wake up her highness" She commands

She hears the maids hurried steps coming closer and waits patiently for the maid to slide open her velvet curtains. The maid lets out a small gasp not expecting to see the princess awake.

"Princess please forgive me if I have waked you unknowingly" she says apologetically

"Don't worry you didn't wake me" she says pushing her lavish bedding aside.

"You're awake your highness, good" Ima walks over to her bedside, in all her years Zelda had never met someone like Impa. Not that she would know too many people anyways, she spent most of her life confined to the castle.

Impa was a tall strong woman, a Sheikah warrior, whose burly personality and striking appearance intimated the masses. She had stunning bright red eyes and short sliver hair which she kept tied back. She wore her traditional Sheikah garbs which only made her stand out that much more in the crowd.

Despite her tendency to intimidate people Zelda found solace and comfort in her former tutor.

"Good morning Impa" she stretches her arms high above her head.

"I trust you slept well" she hands her the ivory lace robe hanging on the divider.

Zelda averts herself but graciously accepts the robe. She doesn't want Impa to see her suspicious puffy red eyes and dark circles. She'll start to ask questions she is no mood to answer.

"Well enough" she responds

She slowly slides off her luxurious bed and slips into her slippers. She notices the maids have set light to the fire and shudders slightly at the drastic change in temperature from earlier this morning.

Impa is beginning to look impatient at her lack of attention and urgency. "Come now princess we have a schedule to keep" she snaps her fingers loudly and seconds later the chamber maids are briskly leading her to her washroom. The maids then begin their handy work and immediately start to undress her.

Zelda slowly slips into the warm water of her tub which has been sprinkled with rose petals and lavender. She takes a deep breath and marvels at the sweet scents. The maids begin to wash her body and hair, adding to the already sweet aromas in the water. Zelda relaxes a bit, the stresses of the night before seem insignificant now. She revels in the relaxing aromas of the lavender plant, they are magnificent when it comes to relaxation. She swears if it wasn't for the maids scrubbing her body she would have surely fallen asleep. Once she is finished getting cleaned and dried she returns to her bedroom and begins the time consuming process that is a beauty routine.

She takes a seat in front of her vanity and slowly crosses her ankles under her robe. She waits patiently for the maids to comb and section off her long blond hair. Once her hair has been properly sectioned the maids begin to tie the individual strands of hair around a piece of cloth. Once the arduous task is complete they begin to work on her face. Impa has been standing behind Zelda the entire time watching the maids every step. Zelda smiles to herself; her ex-tutor seems to be more preoccupied with her appearance than she does.

As a child Zelda was exceptionally beautiful, her blond hair and bright silver blue eyes emanated innocence and radiance. As the years passed on her beauty grew, her hair cascaded down her back; her lips were plump and soft. Her cheeks rosy and skin like porcelain. Her eyes bright and captivating, Zelda was extraordinarily beautiful; and because of her beauty she was well sought after.

 _Grumble, grumble._

Zelda places a hand on her stomach. She hasn't eaten all morning and probably won't eat until much later in the evening.

"Impa" she calls to her friend.

"May I have something to eat?"

"Of course Princess"

Impa walks to the table in the center of her bedroom and picks up the silver tray carrying a jelly filled pastry, a pot of tea and some fruit.

"Thank you Impa" she says taking a bite of her jelly pastry.

The maids have finished applying her cosmetics and gently undo the pieces of cloth tied to her hair. As they do her hair falls down her back and shoulders in perfect swirls. Once they are finished they gently comb the curls and style it. Once her hair has been pinned and braided they begin the painful process of getting her into her gown.

"Please not too tight" Zelda says as she grabs one of the wooden posts of her bed for support. The maids nod their head and begin to pull the strings of the corset.

Zelda was never too fond of wearing a corset, she disliked the fact that she could never sit comfortably when wearing one, but today was a special day and not wearing a corset might seem a bit unqueenly. So she would have to bare it even it was just for today. After she has been strapped in the maids bring out her very heavy and expensive gown.

After a few minutes Zelda is finally dressed, accessorized and ready to go. Before she leaves however she walks to her full length mirror and looks at her reflection. The top half of her hair has been pinned and braided into the shape of a crown in the back while the bottom half is left loose and curled. Her circlet placed on top of her head. Her eyes are lined and dusted with lilacs and pinks that match her skin tone, her cheeks have been dusted with light shades and her lips have been stained a shade of pink. Her Royal Blue gown fits her like a glove and her waist is accentuated by the corset. Her shoulders are slightly exposed and a decorative gold choker with a blue stone adorns her neck. The sleeves of her dress are pointed and long, the gold stitching shines exquisitely. She admits she looks regal. She looks at her golden circlet and feels a sense of melancholy sweep over her. This was the crown her father had given her when she had come of age, it was her favorite and in just a few moments it would be replaced.

"You look beautiful your highness" Impa puts a hand on her shoulder. "Are you ready?" she asks

Zelda looks at her tutor through the mirror and nods. She takes a deep breath and alongside her tutor glides down to the Temple of Time where the nobility awaits.

* * *

 **Link-**

The ride to the Castletown had been a bumpy one. He tried on more than one occasion to sleep but found it near impossible. The one time he was finally able to doze off his young wife woke him up when the castle came into view.

"Link look there it is" she says excitedly as she shakes his arm.

Link adjusts himself on his seat and looks out the carriage window; the castle is just as he remembers it. He admits it's good to be back to the land of his birth. After years of traveling the world Link is finally back and although his return came with a multitude of surprises, he was delighted to be back.

"It's so beautiful, I never imagined it to be so big" Illia says delighted.

There's a sparkle in her emerald green eyes. He smiles to himself; she's so innocent to the world.

When Illia was a child her parents thought it would be best if she was kept away from the politics of the court and the prying eyes of the nobility. As a result she was deprived of the best educators and tutors in Hyrule. Consequently her education suffered tremendously, instead of learning about literature, art, science, magic, history, geography and everything else that little girls her age should have been learning, Illia was taught how to manage a house. She was taught how to sew, and how to clean, she was taught to be a housewife. An attribute Link's parents found it difficult to accept.

As the heir to the Arlen name, Link's parents believed that a good and structured education was in the best interest of their son. Both his parents were exceptionally bright and Link was not far behind their intellect. As a young boy he favored books and he was always eager to learn something new; so when they heard that the princess of Hyrule would be mentored by the great Impa, his parents used their political influence with the King and asked that Link be mentored under Impa as well.

Link's lips curve into a smile as he remembers his days in the castle under Impa's strict tutelage. In fact it was during this time that he first got interested in traveling; he reminiscences on the nights in which he and Zelda left their quarters, without authorization, to sneak into the library late at night. It was during these midnight escapades that they were both inspired to see the world.

"Is something the matter" Illia's voice interrupts his thoughts.

"No, no I'm sorry, just a bit exhausted is all. I didn't sleep really well last night" he rubs his eyes a bit hoping she won't ask him the reason behind his insomnia. She is about to say something but is interrupted by the sudden stop of the carriage.

Link looks at his surroundings, they are inside the gates of Castletown. He opens the carriage door and instructs his young bride to stay inside. As he closes the door shut he notices the symbol of the Royal family in almost every direction. White amaryllis decorates every post in town, royal blue and gold ribbon dance high in the air as the wind blows. The people are celebrating their new Queen.

"Why have we stopped" he stands next to the driver.

"I am sorry Sir, but there seems to be a blockade up ahead" he points to a large group of people that seem to be looking at something.

"Wait here" Link commands the driver.

"Link where are you going" he hears his wife's distressed voice. He turns to face her and explains the situation, caressing her face softly to calm her down. She seems to be a bit spooked and he can hardly blame her, this doesn't happen often in Faron Providence. "I'll be back momentarily" he says closing the door shut.

Link makes his way to the large crowd and as he approaches the group of people he hears something under his boot. As he looks down he sees what he believes was a pear, in fact there are pears scattered around everywhere, some of them have already been stepped on. As he takes a closer look he can see that a farmer's broken wagon is the cause of the blockade.

He looks at the crowd and see's that no one seems to be doing anything; there are no guards, no officers anywhere in sight. He finally finds a guard and waves him down.

"My lord how may I serve you"

Something about the way the guard carries himself tells Link that this particular knight is probably still a cadet and not an official guard.

"Why isn't anyone helping to remove this blockade, where are all guards" he says.

"Sir the cadets have been asked to maintain order here in town, our commanding officers have been ordered to protect the castle and the Temple." He whispers the end, like it's some sort of secret.

Why would they pull the majority of their knights into one place? Link wonders

Taking advantage of the cadet's lack of experience Link tricks the young cadet into telling him the reason the majority of the knights have been called to the temple.

"Well Sir, it seems that a secret conspiracy against our future Queen was uncovered this morning. Rumors have it the princess's life is in danger" he was so close that Link could smell the alcohol on the cadet's breath. He takes a step back and thanks him for the information.

Links wonders if the rumors are true, and if they are who could possibly be behind this conspiracy. The thunderous tune of the Temple bells breaks his thoughts. The ceremony will be starting soon. He waves down a stocky looking man and asks him to round up a few more men to help him move the wagon. The man does as he is told and swiftly returns with four other men about his size.

"All together now" Link commands. The five men lift the broken down fruit wagon and move it out of the road. Link thanks them for their help and gives them two gold coins each, he also gives the farmer whose pears were ruined a generous ten gold coins.

As he walks back to the carriage he ponders on the information he has just uncovered and wonders how Zelda is coping with all of this. He brushes his bangs back in frustration, who would want Zelda dead? And why now that she is about to become Queen? He had so many questions and not many answers, no one did, but he knew one thing, if there was an attack he would be ready.

He opens the door to the carriage and once again takes a seat across his wife.

"Is everything alright Link" she asks looking at the blade that now hangs from his belt.

He decides to keep this information a secret, there's no need to worry her.

"Yes, it's just I feel strange not carrying it around" he smiles sweetly in an attempt to calm her nerves. She looks at him with her large emerald green eyes and gently nods in defeat. She straightens the skirts of her dress and folds her hands gently on her lap. Link taps the roof of the carriage signaling the driver they are ready.

As they make their way to the Temple of Time Link wonders if Zelda will remember him after all these years.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Kill the Queen!**

She stared out the large window of her study; she could see the knights scouting the grounds of the Temple, their armors shining in the sunlight. The silhouettes of her guests were hurriedly making their way inside, either to support their Queen or to verify whether the rumors were true. Their reasons didn't matter to her; she wasn't serving them after all.

"Princess are you certain you want to go through with this?" Impa is standing on the opposite side of the study her arms are crossed. She tends to do that under high levels of stress or doubt. Zelda turns to face her and sees that they are all staring at her, waiting for her to say something. She turns her attention back at the small figures walking up the marble steps of the Temple; they all look the same from all the way up there. She takes her telescope in hand and peers inside the lens; instantly she is able to identify Lord Ainsley and a few other lords from her court. She recognizes the Duke of Elden and his wife Clara.

"Princess" her tone is more demanding than questioning this time. Zelda can hear the irritation in her tutors commanding voice but the princess remains uninfluenced by the situation. She doesn't quite understand, she should be afraid, nervous even but she feels nothing. Instead she is calm and collected, which is preferable, panic doesn't allow you to think clearly.

"I have decided to go through with the ceremony as planned; I will not show them weakness in light of these rumors. That is precisely what they expect." She turns her attention back towards her council. She can see the irritation and fear in their eyes.

"Princess this is not a matter we must take lightly, a threat has been made on your life. I think you should reconsider, at least give us some time to investigate these rumors." It is lord Able who speaks this time. He was a man whom Zelda admired greatly and respected; he was one of the very few council members that Zelda felt she could trust.

"I understand your concern Lord Abel but I'm afraid this is the only logical alternative."

"Princess if I may" an icy voice cuts through the air.

"Please forgive my insolence but I do believe that Lord Abel is right" Lord Malik says as he walks towards the princess.

Lord Malik was an older man whose position in the council had suffered a great deal after the death of the King. He was a tall thin man with long skeletal fingers. His skin was pale and almost transparent when in the light. He had a long pointed nose and small eyes that were surrounded by dark circles. He was a man who was set on the old ways; he was one of the few council members who had initially opposed the coronation of Princess Zelda. He believed that no woman should rule the kingdom without a King. He insisted that the Princess's only duty was to produce a male heir to the throne, she had no place dealing with the ruthlessness of diplomacy; according to him, only men were capable of handling such a thing.

"With all due respect Malik, it will take a lot more than a rumor to frighten me away from my duty" Zelda responds defiantly, another reason why the old Lord disliked his princess. She was too headstrong and willful, qualities that would not allow her to be so easily swayed by others.

He gives her an icy smile that sends shivers down her spine. She wasn't sure why but she always felt uneasy around Lord Malik, she didn't believe she could trust him.

"Your highness let's not forget what happened so long ago with your great grandfather "he raises his long fingers and slowly slides them across his wrinkled neck.

"That won't happen this time Lord Malik, I assure you" Impa cuts in before Zelda has a chance to respond, getting in between them; her crimson eyes blazing with anger at the Lords insensitive comment. Zelda on the other hand is taken aback by the Lords remark and admits he managed to plant a seed of fear inside her, but regardless of the dangers she may face, this was her duty to her people and she would not back down for some rumor.

"Lady Impa please don't take this the wrong way I was simply implying the dangers of her highness's decision" he scampers away from them; afraid Impa might take a swing at him.

"Lord Malik I appreciate your concern and have taken your-"she moves her hands as she tries to find the right word to fit his hostile remark.

"Uneasiness, for lack of a better word, into very careful consideration" she motions them to leave and walks back towards the window.

"Gentlemen if you would please begin to make your way down to the Temple, we will begin the ceremony momentarily" Impa ushers them out impatiently.

"Princess when you are ready I will be waiting right outside" she wanted to say more, to tell her how brave she was but she was unable to, for the first time since she'd been by Zelda's side Impa was at a loss for words.

"Thank you Impa I will be there shortly"

As soon as Zelda hears the door shut she releases the tears she had been fighting to keep in this entire time. She begins to feel an immense sense of desperation, she wants out, she wants to scream and run away. She wants to leave Hyrule, abandon her duty and never come back. The tears are falling uncontrollably and her knees are giving in to the weight that is now on her shoulders. Zelda places her hand on the glass in attempt to support herself, but the task is futile and she allows herself to fall to her knees.

Please forgive me father, I am not the Queen that Hyrule deserves" She leans against the stone wall holding her knees as close to her chest as she can, her face buried in the safety of her shell.

 _Zelda be brave, sitting here isn't going to accomplish anything. You've already done the best that you could do and there's still work to be done. I do wish father was here though, I wish I didn't feel so alone and so detached from the world._

 _Enough of this, it's time to take your place as the Queen of Hyrule._

She gets up from her spot on the floor and brushes her skirts. "Farore give me the courage I need to lead my people, Din give the power to overcome my fears and Nayru bestow upon me the wisdom that I need in order to provide for my people" she wipes away her tears and takes a deep breath. Before leaving she decides to take one quick look through her telescope. She is scanning the last few nobles entering the Temple when she sees a man dressed in a royal blue coat. He seems strangely familiar, like someone she knew a very long time ago. He is in the company of a young woman. Before she can adjust her lens for a better view they walk inside the Temple.

She walks away from the telescope thinking her eyes must be playing a trick on her, there's no possible way that could him; he left a very long time ago.

* * *

The sun is shining brightly on Hyrule today; she looks towards the town which is beautifully decorated in her honor. There are bundles of flowers hanging on every post, the colorful ribbons sway in the wind, there's a crowd standing behind the line of guards waving as they see their Princess. They are chanting

"HAIL QUEEN ZELDA!"

Zelda's first instinct is to talk to her people but she knows she would only be exposing them, so she simply waves and smiles at them. She begins to climb the marble steps of the Temple, the grand doors to the Temple are closed and as she reaches the last step and waits for her cue to enter, Zelda prays one last time for good fortune and a smooth ceremony.

 _Ring, Ring, Ring.._

The deafening sounds of the bells startle the Princess and right before she walks in she gazes up at the blue sky and takes in a deep breath.

The large doors swing open and the Princess gracefully enters the Temple.

Once inside Zelda scans her surroundings she sees the eyes of the entire nobility staring at her, for a short second she contemplates running away but her determination is too great and she proceeds to walk down the aisle. As she walks she doesn't hear the whispers or the harpist play the Royal family tune, she only focuses her attention on the Sage of Light, Rauru, who is waiting for her at the end of the altar, dressed in his ceremonial robes. She is so entranced that she fails to see him staring at her, captivated by her beauty.

Once she has reached the altar, Rauru motions the crowd to take a seat. Zelda remains standing her hands placed gently in front of her skirts.

He raises his arms and begins to chant in ancient Hylian, his voice fills every corner of the temple. Once his chant is done he proceeds to recite the goddess's prayer

 _O' Nayru of wisdom, Farore of courage and Din of power_

 _Blessed be thine divine power and grace which granted us_

 _This land of Hyrule. We adore thee and thy might; we are forever_

 _Grateful for thine great love. We humbly ask that you continue to grant us_

 _With your love and protection._

Once the prayer is over Rauru brings the book of the goddesses, inscribed in ancient Hylian and begins to chant once more. As he chants a loud sound comes from behind him and the stone door protecting the stones of Hyrule disappears. Zelda glances at Rauru and with a slight nod he urges her to kneel. The time of judgement has come. Her heart is beating faster, she had no idea how nervous she really was, and she hoped the drumming of her heart could not be heard.

As she waits for the judgement ritual to commence three monks, dressed in crimson robes, bring the three stones and place them in front of her. The three stones of Hyrule, left behind by the three goddesses, Farore of Courage, Nayru of Wisdom and Din of Power, to judge a rulers worth.

Once they are placed Rauru begins to chant once more and it is then that the stones begin to spin slowly. As they spin Zelda can feel the energy surging inside her, she can feel herself being judged. The goddesses were judging. They were judging her worth, her spirit, if she was unworthy to rule Hyrule the stones would stop spinning, but if she was deemed worthy to lead the people then the stones would glow brightly and continue to spin throughout her reign. At that moment Zelda would be crowned as the legitimate Queen of Hyrule, chosen by the goddesses.

Only once in the history of Hyrule had the goddesses rejected a ruler, they had judged him unworthy to rule. He was cast out as was his family, never again to rule the land of the goddesses. But that happened a very long time ago, for centuries it was Zelda's family, the Harkinian's, who had remained in power at the will of the goddesses.

Every King and Queen before her had kneeled before the stones to be judged, waiting patiently for their resolve.

She could feel her palms beginning to sweat; doubts were surging in her mind.

What if she is judged unworthy to be Queen? What will happen to her kingdom?

Then all of a sudden she no longer felt that powerful energy surging inside her, they had made their decision. She stared at the stones waiting for something to happen, her breath still. They continued to spin but there was no glow. She swallowed hard, the anticipation was too much to handle.

Even Rauru fixed his gaze on the stones, his chanting had stopped. Even the congregation watched silently.

Suddenly all at once the stones started to glow. Their glow was bright and blinding, Zelda shielded her eyes from the intensity of the colors as did Rauru and the spectators. The Temple was painted with shades of blue, green and red for a few glorious moments. The crowds murmured in amazement at the spectacle.

As the glow banished Zelda let out a sigh of relief, the goddesses had judged her, and she was worthy. Rauru motioned everyone, including Zelda, to stand. To her right a monk holding a golden case comes to stand in front of her, he opens the case to reveal the golden scepter and jeweled orb. She removes them from the container and for the first time since she entered the Temple she turns to face the crowd. She tries not to look directly at them so instead she fixes her eyes on the window above the entrance. The suns light is gleaming straight through the window, casting a marvelous wave of light.

Rauru once again begins to speak in ancient Hylian, the concluding prayer will bind her forever to the land.

For a brief moment Zelda closes her eyes and imagines the vast oceans and lands that would have been at her disposal, she can almost smell the salty breeze. As she opens her eyes Rauru has removed her circlet from her head. The crown bearer comes to stand next to the Sage and carefully he removes the ornate circlet from its resting place.

"May the goddesses be with you always." As he finishes his last prayer he places the circlet on top of her head.

Once the crown is safely secured Rauru steps to the side and with his golden scepter commands everyone to rise.

"I present to you Zelda Harkinian II, Queen of Hyrule!" his thunderous voice echoes throughout the temple. Outside you can hear the people chanting,

"HAIL QUEEN ZELDA!"

"LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!"

For a brief moment Zelda manages to smile.

Just then the sound of glass breaking comes from behind the altar. Zelda turns immediately towards the sound; she takes a few steps back. The knights stationed inside the castle are rushing towards her position. A smaller group of knights have drawn their swords and are carefully scanning the area where the window was broken.

Suddenly she spots a dark hooded figure climbing the pillars of the building, the figure jumps from one pillar to the next avoiding the daggers and arrows wheeling towards him. She can hear the crowd screaming, she can hear the sound of their heels running towards the door, and she can hear the shouts of the knights.

"Protect the queen" they say

Meanwhile Zelda is unable to move, she wants to run, to live but her legs won't respond. She is paralyzed, her heart is beating hard and she is afraid, so very afraid.

"Guard the queen" she hears Impa yell. Zelda watches as she commands her knights, her weapon is drawn and she is fighting, fighting to save her. Finally she breaks out of her trance and immediately moves back further back; as she does a circle of guards surround her. Their swords are drawn and their shields are held below their eyes.

Zelda looks back towards the door, her exit is blocked by a panicked crowd, there is no way out.

She can see the hooded figure, whoever it is they have yet to draw their weapon. The assassin's movements are swift and graceful; he dodges but never really attacks. Not even Impa can seem to lay a hand on him. Then as if on cue, the figure pulls out a pair of twin blades and begins to swing them in sync. The sound of clashing metal resonates within the marble walls of the Temple.

Then out of nowhere Zelda feels a warm liquid splatter against her cheek. She touches her cheek and looks down at her fingertips which are now covered in blood. It's not hers; it is the blood of the guards that were protecting her. One by one they all fell around her. She stares at the ground, horrified at the sight. She lets the jeweled orb fall to the ground and with her free hand clutches the scepter tightly. She picks up her gaze off the fallen knights and sets them on the hooded figure standing a few feet away from her. Behind the second assassin she can see Impa deflecting the other assailant's attacks.

She is getting sloppy, her desperation is too great and she can't think clearly. She wants to save the queen but her opponent is too strong.

Zelda quickly realizes that she is on her own, her guards are dead and the rest of the knights are unable to get to her. She raises the scepter, her only defense. The assassin twirls the blades and slowly starts to make his way to her.

Zelda steps over the dead knight's body clutching her scepter tightly. In a swift movement the assassin swings the blade and strikes the scepter straight out of Zelda's hand.

The queen holds up her hands in an attempt to shield herself

"Zelda!" she hears Impa cry out to her, but she cannot reach her. The assassin swings the blade once more making contact with Zelda's skin.

She lets out a painful shriek and falls to her knees. Blood is dripping down her arm now; her blood is staining the marble floor of the temple along with the blood of her fallen knights.

Instinctively she places her other hand against the wound and looks up towards her killer. If she is going to die then she will do so bravely. Her heart is beating faster with every passing second, she can hear it against her ear drums, and if she can hear it, then the figure standing in front of her can too.

The attacker circles around her, his blades dragging behind him.

He stops once he is a few feet away from the queen, he brings the blade high above his head ready to deliver the final blow, she closes her eyes, and just as the sword is about to strike the sound of metal clashing makes her open her eyes again.

Wide eyed Zelda looks up to see a man standing in front of her, he blocked the attack.

Instantly her hero pushes the assassin back with brute force.

"Are you alright your majesty" there is worry in his voice.

"Yes, I'm alright" she manages to say despite her close call with death.

"Get behind the pews your majesty "he commands.

Zelda does as she is told and quickly gets behind the pews of the Temple mentally thanking her hero. As she crouches down she looks down at her bloody hands, they are shaking uncontrollably. Her heart is racing and she is sweating in places she didn't know she could sweat.

Directly ahead the hero is fiercely fighting off the assassin. Impa has regained her focus and she is now pushing back against the crafty assassin. They continue to fight against the attackers who are persistent in their desire to kill Zelda. Impa swings her Biggoron sword against her opponent and almost hits her target, but the figure is too fast and only barely dodges the attack.

"GO!" the sound of clanking armor fills the Temple as the knights standing outside finally find a way inside. Realizing they are vastly outnumbered the attackers run away towards each other, followed by Zelda's hero and the knights who are demanding they stop running.

"Do not let them get away!" Impa yells as she chases her elusive rival.

Zelda looks out from her hiding spot and she sees the two figures jump high in the air, as they do a black cloud suddenly obscures her vision. She quickly ducks down afraid the assassins will attempt to strike while every ones sight is clouded.

Suddenly she feels a pair of hands grab her arms, she is about to scream when she recognizes the man's voice.

"Stay behind me your majesty" slowly he helps her on her feet and carefully guides her away from the cloud of smoke.

His hand protectively encircles her as they walk backwards, her hands rest gently against his muscular back. She feels her face getting warm. She looks up at her savior, his face remains hidden from her, but the further they walk away from the smoke, the more she can begin to see the man that saved her life.

She is so close to him, despite their predicament she is enjoying the proximity with the stranger. She can smell him, he smells like the sea, like the flowing waters of Lake Hylia, such a comforting scent.

The smoke begins to clear, until finally all that remains from the attack are the bodies of those that died. It seems that whoever tried to kill the queen had escaped. Zelda releases a sigh of relief and as the adrenaline begins to fade she starts to feel the stinging pain in her right arm, where the assassin struck its blade.

Zelda releases her hold on the man's shirt and tenderly covers the wound with her other hand. She squints as the pain worsens.

"Your majesty" Impa is at her side now

"We have to get you out of here, now. I have ordered the guards to stand guard outside, I will escort you back into the castle through the secret tunnels." she says, worry present in her otherwise commanding tone. Zelda nods her head softly, still in disbelief.

She glances towards her hero, whose back is still to her.

"Thank you for saving my life, I am indebted to you" her voice is soft and low.

He withdraws his sword back into his scabbard hanging on his waist and finally turns to face his Queen; a soft smile adorns his face, his cobalt eyes fixed solely on her.

 _Link.._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Aftermath**

The sound of their steps echoed through the damp tunnel. Zelda walked close behind Link careful not to step on him. He walked slowly in front of her, on one hand he carried a lantern lighting their way and on the other he carried his sword. They didn't think anyone else would know the existence of these secret underground tunnels but after the attack at the Temple, anything was possible. It was for those reasons that Impa decided it would be best if the queen was escorted back into the castle by someone else. As a Sheikah, Impa was trained to deceive and hide from her enemies. Using her skills and magic, Impa created a second Zelda, a copy to fool her enemies and everyone else around her. She instructed Link to escort the queen to the castle using the secret tunnels built underneath Castletown. A risky move considering Link's sudden reappearance, but Impa knew she could trust her old pupil.

As they continued to walk, Zelda kept her eyes fixed on his back, specifically on the bloody print she'd left behind. Instinctively she reaches for the wound on her arm; it still stung a great deal. She turns to glance at the red stained piece of cloth that now covered the wound and suddenly went back to that terrifying moment, she tried not to think about it but she could still see the yellow eyes glaring at her from underneath the assassin's hood. The blood of her knights spilled on the Temple floor.

Distracted by her flashback Zelda failed to see that Link had stopped moving and bumped right into him. It was like running straight into a stone wall.

"I'm sorry Lord Arlen, I wasn't paying attention" she steps back apologetically rubbing her head from where she hit Link.

He turns his attention towards the queen, careful not to swing his weapon so close to her.

"No need to apologize your majesty, but are you alright?" he asks warmly and deeply concerned. He fixes the lanterns light on her, scanning her face for a sign of distress.

She keeps her gaze down thinking about how to answer his question. Was she alright? Aside from the pain in her arm she really wasn't sure how to feel. She was numb just like she had been in the study an hour or two ago.

Link continues to scan her face, searching for an answer to his question but as he does he also finds himself admiring her beauty. He admires the soft shadow her long lashes cast on her bright silver blue eyes, the delicate structure of her face, and her luminous porcelain skin covered in dirt and dried blood. Even in her present state Zelda is without a doubt the most beautiful woman he has ever laid eyes on. Inadvertently his eyes begin to scour the rest of her body, paying close attention to the slow rise of her chest.

He swallows hard and quickly averts his eyes, a red stain beginning to paint his cheeks.

"Your majesty, would you like to take a moment to rest?" he asks returning his gaze to her face.

She picks up her gaze and makes eye contact with Link at which point she finds it impossible to remain unfeeling. Slowly her vision begins to blur and she finds herself buried in his muscled chest, staining his bloody shirt with her tears.

"Zelda" he whispers softly

He carefully leans his sword against the wall of the tunnel and with his now free hand wraps his arm around the fragile queen, watchful of her wounded arm.

Zelda continues to weep and when there are no more tears to be shed she picks up her head to see Link looking down at her. Slowly she pulls away from him feeling embarrassed.

"Please forgive me my lord, I did not mean to display such weakness and I most certainly did not wish to stain your clothes any more than I already have." She says behind a false state of composure.

"Please your majesty, there's no need to apologize" he picks up his abandoned sword from the wall and beckons Zelda to follow him.

For a moment Link confused her eagerness to feel comforted for a display of affection and longing for him. After all it'd been eight years since she'd last seen him; he thought maybe their history would still mean something to her, despite being apart for that long. He couldn't blame her though; he did after all leave her behind.

They walked the rest of the way in complete silence, only the sound of their footsteps echoed through the tunnels.

* * *

By the time they reached the exit they were both exhausted and hungry wishing for nothing more than a hot meal and sizzling bath. When they reached her study from the long staircase directly connected to the tunnels they found Impa already waiting for them. She was overlooking the Temple through the large window, her arms crossed over her chest. When she caught sight of them she rushed to their side, crimson eyes blazing.

"Your majesty, I was starting to get worried!" she takes Zelda by the hand as they walk through the secret doorway in her study, leading her to the lounge chair across the fireplace. Once Link and Zelda have stepped inside the two guards ordered to keep watch close the wall shut behind them.

"Did anything happen down there, you took an awfully long time getting through the tunnels" she is looking at Link who is standing in front of them.

"Impa it-"Zelda begins to speak but Link cuts her off before she can explain what happened.

"Forgive me lady Impa but I got a little lost on the way, the tunnels were a bit confusing you see, please forgive me lady Impa, your majesty" he bows low, avoiding eye contact with the queen.

"That is no excuse, I trusted you to keep her majesty safe, you should have paid more close attention to my instructions" she barks back angrily.

Link keeps his head down; it was almost like going back eight years. Impa hadn't changed one bit, she was still the same woman he left behind, and despite being scolded he was happy that at least this one thing remained un-changed.

"Impa please that is enough" Zelda cuts in. Her voice tired and irritated.

"Please call the doctor, and please tell the council members that I need to speak with them in one hour" she orders, the fragile woman in the tunnels long gone.

"Yes your majesty, right away" she replies without questioning the queen's orders.

Impa walks to the door but stops opening it, she turns back and glares at Link. Without saying anything Link understands that Impa wants him to follow her out, he should follow her out. He shouldn't want to stay there with the queen and talk to her; but he does. He should get back to his wife, whom he left all alone in the middle of the attack; but he doesn't.

He starts to walk towards the door knowing what his duty is.

"No, Lord Arlen stay; I would like a word with you"

He stops mid stride, mildly surprised, and nods to Impa as she exits the study.

Feeling confused by the queen's request he makes no effort to decipher her purpose so he waits patiently for her to speak.

Zelda slowly walks to the window facing the Temple; every muscle in her body is aching, tense and tired. Her feet hurt from the blisters that have formed on the soles of her feet, never has she walked so much in one day. She takes a deep breath, cringing a bit from the pain in her arm that seems to have gotten worse. It would probably leave a scar; a constant reminder of this day.

"Why did you come back?" she finally speaks. Her voice is sad and low.

Her question takes him a bit surprise, he had prepared for this specific question many times before his arrival but the answers were never enough; and now the time to give her a real explanation had come and he had no idea what to say.

"I was needed" he replied.

A simple answer to a question that needed a whole of explaining but he couldn't explain everything now, not after the attack and after the deaths of those knights. He couldn't tell her about his father, about his marriage to a woman he hardly knew, he couldn't tell her why he never came back for her. Not now anyways.

"I see" was her reply. She wanted to argue and extract all the answers she could but she had lost the will to fight for today.

 _Knock, Knock_

"Come in" she says her tone dismal.

The doors open to reveal a small man whose eye glasses are too big for his face. His stature is hunched and his white robes are whiter than the clouds themselves.

"Your majesty I am glad to see you are safe. What can I do for you today" he says while bowing.

"Hello doctor, I need you to take a look at this wound" Zelda turns away from the window and walks to her seat on the chair slightly tripping over her torn skirts on the way.

"Your majesty are you alright" Link says as he rushes to her aide with a look of concern in his eyes. He gently wraps his hand around her miniscule waist, and without waiting for a reply, or protest, slowly guides her to her seat in front of the fire. She blushes a bit, feeling embarrassed about her clumsiness.

"Thank you" she whispers, her face still pink.

"Of course" he responds, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Very well then, let me take a look at this wound your majesty" the doctor cuts in. He takes out a pair of scissors and begins to cut off the temporary bandage.

"Young man would you mind bringing me that pitcher full of water, along with the bowl" he instructs.

Link gladly brings the old man what he requested.

The doctor pours the fresh clean water into the bowl and pulls out a clean cloth from his medical bag. He then begins to gently wipe off the dried blood and dirt surrounding the cut. She winces a bit from the pain but tries to push through it.

Once he is satisfied with how clean the cut appears he reaches into his bag and pulls out three vials, each with a different liquid inside it. The first vial contains a clear substance that when opened releases a foul smelling odor into the air. Both Link and Zelda suppress the need to cough at the smell.

The doctor then soaks the tip of a different cloth into the liquid.

"Young man I am going to ask you, with the queens permission of course, to take hold of her majesty's hand while I administer this tonic to the wound" he says looking at them through his large eye glasses.

"Doctor is that necessary?" Zelda asks slightly uncomfortable at the doctor's request.

"The tonic will cause you to experience excruciating pain, I have found that patients whom I have used this tonic on before, respond better when they have an outlet in which to relieve the pain. You can use this young man's hand or I can give you a wooden spoon on which to chew, but I've had a few broken teeth with that method."

Zelda nods her head in defeat and turns to look at Link.

"Lord Arlen would you mind being my outlet" she mocks holding out her free hand.

Link chuckles and kneels next to her; he takes her hand and instantly regrets it.

Her hand is warm and soft; he is thoroughly enjoying the contact between them that is until he begins to feel a strong pressure around his hand. He turns to look at the doctor and sees that he has already brought the cloth to her arm. She continues to squeeze and Link is more than surprised at the amount of strength she is displaying.

Zelda on the other hand squeezes her eyes shut and suppresses the urge to scream. She can feel the tonic burning into her skin, cleansing the damage inflicted on her arm by that assassin.

The doctor finally removes the cloth and immediately begins to stich up the wound, using a large needle and a special thread used to seal wounds.

"I am sorry your majesty, but it was necessary to disinfect the wound" he says as he works.

"It's alright I understand doctor" she says releasing the pressure on Link's hand, grateful that the ordeal is over.

Her breath is beginning to relax and although the pain coming from her wound was excruciating, it doesn't compare to the pain the family of the fallen knights will have to face. She feels her heart drop and without realizing it lightly squeezes Link's hand.

Noticing the grip Link returns the gesture at which point Zelda picks up her gaze; their eyes lock.

She feels her stomach drop at the sight. Since the attack she had taken little notice of how handsome Link had become. His skin was perfectly tan, probably from his travels, his jaw strong and sturdy. He must have done quite a bit of physical work during his travels because when he left, his body was nowhere near as strong. His shoulders were broad and tough, his arms well defined and structured. Zelda was sure Link had muscles on his muscles.

His hair was still the same, shaggy and un-kept. It was his eyes however that fully mesmerized her. They were kind, and warm, adventurous, wild and dangerous; they reflected who he was, or at least who she remembered him to be. They were still however, the most beautiful shade of blue, like the blue from Lake Hylia.

"Very well your majesty, the wound has been sealed and bandaged, I expect you to make a full recovery-"

He realizes that the queen is paying no attention to him, but rather her attention is fixed on the man kneeling besides her tending to her other hand. Their eyes are locked and both gaze into the others eyes with longing, rekindling an old flame long extinguished.

"Excuse me your majesty" he speaks a little louder this time.

Link and Zelda break from their trance and look at the doctor, puzzlement in their eyes.

"Your majesty the cut on your arm will leave a scar, I do however have a special lotion that when applied directly to the wound once it's healed, will greatly diminish the appearance of the scar. It won't get rid of it completely but it will become less apparent" he hands Zelda the second vial filled with a thick creamy liquid.

"Thank you doctor" she says while releasing Links hand.

"I will also give you a tonic, for the pain and discomfort" he hands her the last vial.

"Thank you doctor" she says again.

"Anything for you your grace, oh and before I forget. Be cautious when taking a bath, try not to get the wound too wet and change the bandages daily, once in the morning and then at night." he takes a bow and without another word exits the study leaving Link and Zelda alone once again.

Zelda rises from her seat and walks to her desk where she places the vials in one of her drawers. An awkward silence envelops them. Any anger she might have felt at the beginning of their conversation is now gone, replaced by feelings of doubt and confusion. Why did he have to return? Why now?

Regardless of those reasons had it not been for him she would most likely be dead. Actions she would have to take into account.

"Lord Arlen I-" she faces him

He is standing directly below her, eyes on her.

"I want to thank you for saving my life" she musters nervously

He is slowly getting closer, too close..

"And I wanted to ask you what your intentions are" she tries to back away but finds herself halted by the desk behind her.

He stops a bit perplexed by her question. His direct intention at the moment was to kiss her, but she doesn't know what. So what exactly is she asking?

"My intentions?" He asks dumbfounded.

"Yes, are you here to fill your father's position in the council I presume? " she asks her nerves increasing.

"I received his letter a few weeks ago notifying me of his declining health and I wondered whether he would be able to continue to be a part of the council"

"I apologize for any inconveniences that may have caused you, but yes as the heir to the Arlen name I will be taking over the empty seat in your council" he begins to climb the steps leading up the queen ignoring every instinct in his body telling him to back away.

Zelda stays in place also ignoring her instincts. He's getting closer, and the closer he gets the faster her heart starts to beat; the shallower her breathing becomes.

He is inches away from her now and slowly he begins to caress her cheek. She doesn't back away and allows the sensation of his touch to infuse her.

"Zelda" he whispers softly as he begins to close the distance between them. Slowly he begins to descend, until finally..

Knock, knock

They back away almost aggressively; Zelda is blushing furiously while Link softly clears his throat.

"Come in" She says, her voice shaky.

"Your majesty I have been asked to inform you that the majority of the council members are already making their way to the great hall" Impa says as she closes the door behind her.

"Thank you Impa, I will be there shortly" she says walking down the steps and heading to the door.

"Lord Arlen I expect to see you there, I trust you remember where the great hall is" she says without looking at him.

"Yes your majesty I remember well my way around the castle" he responds

"Good, Impa will you please ask the maids to get a room in the east wing prepared for Lord Arlen"

"Yes your majesty" Impa responds

"Lord Arlen before you make your way to the Great Hall I suggest you change your attire" she leaves the study without waiting for a reply.

As she makes her way to her chambers, followed by the knights, Zelda curses herself for allowing him to awaken feelings she had already suppressed. She would have never imagined seeing him again after all these years and yet here he was.

Transformed from the boy she knew into a man who was finally ready to uphold his duty, a duty he had refused to accept.

She reaches her chambers and instantly begins to wipe away the dirt and grime that cover the rest of her body. She removes the ruined ball gown, torn and stained with blood. She searches her armoire for a dress that will cover her bandages and finally settles on a lavender dress with long sleeves. She brushes her hair and places her new circlet back on top of her head. As she looks in the mirror she thinks about the future, wonders how long she will have to live in fear, how long will her life be in danger and how many more innocent people will have to die in order to protect her?

Knock, knock

"Yes" she responds annoyed

"I apologize your majesty, but the council is waiting for you" Impa says while holding the door open.

Zelda looks at her tutor and nods her head gently and follows her out of her chambers.

"You know Impa, you are not a messenger and I am sorry I have been treating you as if you are one" Zelda says as they walk towards the Great Hall, where the council awaits.

"Your majesty after what happened today I prefer to be the one to deliver any type of message to you, I feel it is my obligation to protect you and keep you safe. It is the code in which I live by, protect and serve" she responds proudly

"Impa I have a request to ask of you then"

Impa looks at the queen curiously.

"Impa I want you to train me, teach me to fight and defend myself"

They have stopped walking now. Impa ponders the queen's request for a short moment, her crimson eyes fixed on Zelda.

Zelda on the other hand anxiously waits for her response, hoping she will agree to teach her the arts of a Sheikah warrior.

"I think it would be wise to teach you the arts of combat, I would feel better knowing you could at least protect yourself if you were ever attacked again." She finally responds, her eyes softening a bit.

"Thank you" Zelda says, a smile spread across her face.

"But it will have to wait until your arm is healed"

Zelda nods her head in agreement.

As they continue to walk towards the Great Hall, Zelda takes a moment to admire the colors of the sunset completely unaware of what is yet to come..


	5. Chapter 5

**First and foremost I must apologize for any delays but it's been a month since BOTW(Breath of the Wild) came out and let's be honest here, I've been playing this game non-stop since it came out. So that is the reason behind my delays. I may also be working on a different story soon, just a one-shot nothing too fancy,playing this new game really got me inspired so keep an out for those if you like my stories. I wont keep you any longer so please enjoy!**

 **Renn19861**

* * *

 **Chapter 5:Unlocking secrets**

The grand doors of the great hall swung open allowing the queen to enter the room, there a was a loud scrapping noise on the stone floor as the councilmen rose from their seats to pay their respects to their new queen.

As Zelda walked into the room she immediately caught of sight of Link standing directly across from her, unlike the rest of the men in the room, whose heads were bowed, Link simply stood there, gazing at her. His eyes were teasing and lively; she couldn't help but smile. Averting her eyes she flirtatiously brushed a small piece of hair away. With a small smile still on her face Zelda delicately motioned the men to sit.

"Thank you for being here tonight on such short notice" she said as she took her own seat. The entire time she couldn't help but look at Link and him at her. He sat there perfectly still, looking, smiling, and blatantly distracting her with only his eyes. Their small occurrence earlier that day had re-awakened feelings she may have once harbored for him. She thought it would have taken more for these feelings to surface, but to her dismay all it took was his close presence.

Clearing her throat she began to speak,

"Today's attack was a threat against my life, I am aware that many of you expressed your concerns earlier in the day regarding this rumor. I know that my decision to continue with the ceremony cost us dearly today, not only was my life put at risk but because of that we lost five men-" she stopped; clouded visions of their dead bodies came flooding back to her.

Their cold blank stares looking at nothing, the floor painted red, and the yellow eyes of their killer.

Zelda closed her eyes gently and tried to push back those memories, it seemed it would be impossible to forget that sight.

"gentlemen I know that what I am about to ask is out of nature but seeing as how these men died protecting me I would like to have their families taken care of. It is my wish that these families live out the rest of their lives in peace. I would also like to have them buried at the Ikana cemetery, with access to their loved ones" she finished

"But your majesty, only members of the Royal family are buried there, the ground there is sacred-" Lord Malik spat from his seat.

Various Lords nodded in agreement to the surprise of the queen. She intended to battle the financial request but not her desire to have the men buried alongside her ancestors. She felt an honorable burial in sacred grounds would be the least she could do to truly honor these men. It was after all her fault they were dead, at least that was what she believed.

"It is not up for discussion, I will see this through" she spat back quiet perplexed at their refusal.

"Your majesty there is no shame in the deaths of these men; they died fulfilling their duty, to protect their queen. It was an honorable death; no burial ground will change that. They will forever be remembered for their sacrifice." Lord Abel chimed in.

She stared at the man she trusted, stunned by his response, out of all the men in that room she believed Lord Abel would be the one to agree with her.

"Your majesty if I may, why don't we allow the families to decide where their bodies should be buried. If they should choose to bury them in Ikana then they shall be buried there. Is that something that we can all agree on?"

The council men looked at each other waiting to see who would be the first to agree.

She stared them down expecting them to feel the pressure of her gaze.

Finally after a few minutes of intense silence, one by one each councilman began to nod in agreement. Feeling relieved Zelda relaxed in her seat and quietly celebrated her small victory.

She looked across the table towards Link and was happy to see that he was smiling at her, almost like he was proud of her. That feeling in her stomach returned, it was that feeling that always occurred right after her smiled at her. It was that feeling that always came to her when they were young and were only beginning to discover what love is.

"Your grace?" Abel's voice brought back to reality.

"Pardon me but I do believe we must speak about today's attacks. Have we any idea who could be behind this conspiracy?" he continued.

She had expected them to discuss this topic but she had to admit she didn't feel completely ready to analyze the situation. There were so many questions to be asked, so many scenarios to be considered, and yet each one seemed as unlikely as the next.

"No I do not, but I am interested to learn where these rumors originated from, any ideas?"

She eyed them carefully, it had occurred to her that perhaps the traitor could be among her councilmen, and as probable as that would seem it was also highly unlikely. They would not gain anything from her death; there would be disorder and chaos without another heir to the throne. Yet the more she thought about it, the more sense it made.

The attack on the day of her coronation was no mere coincidence- the message was clear; _someone_ didn't want her to become queen. But _why_ is the question, what could they possibly have to gain from killing the only heir to the throne. What could that accomplish? Was there someone out there seeking the throne?

She caught Link looking at her, a worried expression on his handsome features.

He too realized the attack was no mere coincidence, not the rumors, or the day, everything had been perfectly planned out. But the question was always _why?_

"Your majesty I am afraid that we don't really know where the rumor surfaced from, is there anything that you can tell us from the attackers that might give us a clue as to who might be behind it all" Lord Abel finally spoke after a few minutes of silence.

"That is not something I wish to remember Lord Abel, but if there is one thing I cannot erase from my mind is the coldness of their yellow eyes." she says averting her gaze from them.

"Yellow eyes your majesty?"

Zelda returned her gaze to the short stocky man sitting next to her, his green eyes suspicious and wary.

"Yes Lord Barron, does that mean something to you?"

"Forgive me your grace but I am surprised you haven't figured out the identity of your attackers."

She looked at him puzzled.

"Your grace the Gerudo's are the only race in all of Hyrule that bear yellow eyes, and forgive me for my accusation but Lord Demise has been absent all day." He continued to speak after sensing Zelda's confusion.

"Are you implying that Lord Demise is behind the attack, Lord Barron?"

"Your grace I am simply making an observation. Lord Ganon has been gone for well over two weeks, I am sorry if I have offended you your majesty, but his absence seems highly suspicious" he crossed his arms in front of him and cocked his head up, like a child does when things don't go their desired way.

Zelda looked around the table and saw several councilmen nod in agreement. Lord Demise was a respected member of her council and she found it hard to believe that he could be involved in something like this.

"I don't believe we should accuse anyone without any solid proof, I think-"

"Forgive my interruption your grace but Lord Barron may be right, aside from the small amount of evidence, it is possible that the Gerudo's are involved in this plot."

"Since the death of your father, may Hylia grant him peace, the Gerudo's have violated the Treaty of Heroines more than once, and despite your efforts to subdue them-"

"Lord Abel I understand your reasoning but I cannot bring myself to believe that Queen Raji is behind this conspiracy, if anything a rogue group of Gerudo's may be behind the attacks on our villages, but not this. I've spoken to her many times over the course of this past year and believe me she is just as surprised by the Gerudo attacks on our villages. I assure you that Queen Raji is not behind this conspiracy and neither is Lord Demise. A similarity in eye color is hardly substantial evidence to convict someone of treason." She interrupted

"As a matter of fact Lord Demise returned to Gerudo precisely to aid Queen Raji in the ongoing investigations, if anything seems out of place, then he will make it known to us." she tried to appear confident in her resolve but inside she didn't know what to believe. So much was happening in such a small amount of time. Her head was beginning to hurt and she desperately wanted to run away, to run away to a far and distant land and be _normal._

She picked up her gaze, which had in avertedly fallen, as she did her eyes found Link's comforting gaze. He was sitting directly across from her, silent and calm; taking in this new information, making his own conclusions and like her feeling uncertain about the future.

"Regardless your majesty we must investigate this matter immediately, in the mean time I propose a knight be appointed to you. If they infiltrated the Temple they can without a doubt enter the castle."

"No I do not wish to be followed around by a knight, I will however ask Lady Impa to escort me whenever needed, and she will protect me if needed."

"Your majesty I must insist-"

"Insist not, it is not up for discussion, I do not wish to have more blood on my hands…"she whispered softly.

Silence enveloped them once again, she looked around the table and saw disappointed and disapproval in their eyes.

 _They must think me weak and vulnerable._ She thought to herself as she shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"Your majesty, this may be well past-due but on behalf of all the members of this council we are all greatly relieved that you were not harmed in today's attack" Lord Abel said breaking the silence that had fallen upon them.

She looked at the councilmen once again; pity and worry replaced their disapproving stare. They all thought she was incapable of leading Hyrule and if today was any indication of that, well then they were right..

She'd disregarded their warnings and concerns and in the process lost five men, men who left women and children behind, she put people in danger and what's worse she put the well-being of Hyrule's future in danger as well. She owed a great deal to Link, more than she cared to admit, had he not been there..

She shook her head softly and pushed those thoughts away.

"Lord Abel thank you, but I did not leave the Temple completely unharmed. One of the assassins managed to injure me and if it hadn't been for Lord Arlen's brave interference I am afraid I would not be present right now." Her eyes fell on Link once more as did everyone else's.

"I would actually like to take this opportunity to introduce you all to Link Arlen, son of Gustave and Eloise Arlen. Arlen senior has fallen ill and has decided to step-down, Link will be taking over his father's duties from now on."

All eyes suddenly fell on Link, who graciously accepted the councilmen's greetings.

"How fares your father young Arlen" one of the Lord's asked

"His condition is improving, but I am afraid he continues to be bedridden." Link said calmly

"Mmm yes I spoke to your wife earlier, which I had the pleasure of meeting during dinner, and she explained, might I add in detail, how fast the disease seems to have spread without notice. It is a miracle your father is still alive young Arlen"

Link's heart sank at that moment; ignoring his comment he turned to look across from his seat, hoping Zelda didn't hear him. To his alarm Zelda was looking straight at him, a mix of emotions present on her face. Without a word Zelda left her seat and turned to leave, leaving a very dumbfounded group of men, all except for one.

She dashed down the empty hall, ignoring the pain in her feet.

 _He's married, he's married…he's married_.

The words kept repeating themselves in her head, further enhancing her despair.

As she scurried down the hall her eyes began to blur and failed to see him coming her way.

 _Thud._

"Your majesty is everything alright?" a familiar voice spoke.

She looked up to see Lord Demise's familiar amber eyes gazing at her with concern. She took a step back feeling embarrassed for her mishap.

"Lord Demise, forgive me I wasn't paying attention to where I was going" She stammered while looking away; casually drying the tears that had formed in her eyes.

"It is no trouble your grace, but please allow me to excuse myself for being absent on your coronation, I had hoped to be here earlier but the desert is ever so unpredictable."

"Yes of course, what news do you bring? Where you able to speak to Queen Raji"

"Yes your majesty, but before we speak about business, allow me to ask for your forgiveness. Had I been present today whoever attacked you would not have gotten away so easily, that I can assure you" his eyes were locked on Zelda's and she found it difficult to look away.

He brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed it. She was surprised at his boldness and quickly felt her face heat up.

Lord Demise was an exotic being. He was taller than most Hyrulean men, well-built and perfectly sculpted. His skin was perfectly tan and his amber eyes added to the exotic nature of a Gerudo man. Like all Gerudo's his hair was bright red, kept at shoulders length but groomed back and tied. He was an extremely handsome man, many maidens in the castle prayed and hoped that he would notice them and fall in love with them.

"Your majesty-"Zelda felt her heart drop instantly; she didn't want to turn around fearing to see him standing there.

She took back her hand from Ganon's and turned to see him standing a few feet away. His cobalt eyes were stern and serious. He did not look at her right away but rather at the man standing directly behind her. He towered over him but that did not intimidate him, size did not guarantee victory.

She heard Ganon sigh, a bit annoyed at the unexpected interruption.

"Your majesty I would like a private audience, there is something important I must discuss with you" he said gently, his eyes warm and dismal.

"Lord Arlen, please I do not wish to discuss anything right now" she said restraining her desire to scream at him for his deceit. She hated him at that moment, cursed the hour he arrived in Hyrule, cursed him for re-awakening her.

"Please, Zelda" he looked straight at her this time, eyes full of pain and regret.

"Her majesty has already given you an answer." Ganon cut in, his voice defiant and annoyed. He was clearly standing his ground.

"Lord Demise please, I don't need-"

"Link!" a voice coming from behind interrupted her.

Time seemed to stop just then, she turned slowly to see the young woman whose voice had called out for him. In a quick flash her arms were wrapped around his neck as she brought her lips to his. She stared in horror as the woman, presumably his wife, pressed her lips against his; against the same lips she had once kissed long ago.

She felt her heart sink down to the pits of hell itself, her breath stilled and she felt her soul break in half. Her knees buckled and if it wasn't for Lord Demise she would have probably run away. Everything ceased to exist at that moment, everything but the three of them.

Link slowly pulled away from her grasp, pain and discontent present on his face. He looked away from Illia and towards Zelda, whose eyes were glazed with tears and sorrow.

Noticing her husband's demeanor, Illia turned and to her surprise saw the queen standing in front of her with a tall and handsome man.

"Your majesty" she squealed in embarrassment.

"Your majesty, I would like to take this moment to present you to my wife, Lady Illia Woodland" he said as she curtsied.

"Your majesty, it is an honor to meet you. I apologize for my behavior, I did not realize it was you, I was just so happy to see that he was alive and well." she said looking away from the queen, her pale cheeks a crimson red.

"Do not fret, it's my fault for keeping him away from you, these council meetings can drag on for quite some time" she said trying her best to keep her composure.

She heard Lord Demise shuffle uncomfortably beside her.

"Oh forgive my clumsiness please allow me to introduce you to Lord Ganon Demise" She stammered.

"It is a pleasure to meet you milady" his voice melodic.

Zelda gazed at the young woman standing in front of her. She was about her height, petite; her hair was tied in a small bun enhancing the length of her neck which was decorated with a small golden chain. She was quite beautiful, her skin was pale and her eyes were bright green, her ashy blond hair complemented her paleness and emerald like eyes. Zelda felt a twinge of jealousy right then; this was the woman who shared his bed every night, the woman whose lips would forever feel the warmness of his breath.

"Your majesty if I may-"

"Lord Arlen, forgive me but I feel a bit drained and I would like to retire to my quarters. Lady Illia it was a pleasure to meet you and I hope the accommodations are to your liking. Lord Demise would you please escort me to the west wing" she said turning away from Link's gaze.

"Of course your grace, it would be my pleasure" he offered his arm to her which she graciously accepted.

"Good night Lord Arlen" she spoke softly, her voice broken.

As she turned away from them Link's heart sank, this was the first and only time he had ever seen her walk away from him in the arms of another man and yet he could do nothing about it. He was not free to fight for her affection, he was a man tied to another woman. A woman he did not love but was forced to marry under the circumstances.

"Link are you ready to head back to our quarters?" she said, her voice innocent and whimsical.

"Yes of course" he said feeling defeated. He offered his arm to his young wife and quietly led her to their shared bedroom.

He knew Zelda would never forgive him for his betrayal, and why would she, this was the second time he betrayed her.

Once in the stillness of her quarters Zelda removed the layers of confinement from her body. She dressed herself in her finest silk nightdress and lied down in front of the fire.

Finally away from the prying eyes of Hyrule did she finally release the tears she'd kept in for so long. She wept out of fear, for her fallen knights; wept for her father, her mother. She wept out of despair and loneliness. She cried out of a broken heart, for being deceived, humiliated and awoken after years of quiet slumber.

 _He's married…how could I be so foolish._

She thought as she angrily wiped her eyes.

She continued to lie in front of the fire, entranced by the bright colors and elegant movements of the flames until fatigue finally began to feel heavy on her body; soon after weariness and heart-break had her falling into a deep sleep.


End file.
